Machine for printing sign-cards



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. W. MAXSON. MACHINE FOR PRINTING SIGN CARDS.

No. 555,106. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. W. MAXSON. MACHINE POE PRINTING SIGN CARDS.

No. 555,106. Patented Feb.25,18 96. b v 0 0 .4 6

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lharrnn STATES FRAXK ll. MAXSOX, OF ROCHESTER, NElY YORK.

MACHINE FGR PRiNTlNG SIGN-CARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,106, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed September 10, 1894.. Serial No. 522,644. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, FRANK XV. MAXsoN, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Machines for Printing Sign-Cards, which improvement is fully setforth in the following specification and shown in the accompanyingdrawings.

Merchants, grocerymen, and other persons pursuing their tradesfrequently need to use placards or cardboard signs of small or moderatesizes attached to their wares for the purpose of temporarilyannouncingto the public the prices or qualities of goods, numbers, wants, andother notices, and also for other purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce a machine for conveniently andrapidly print ing such sign-cards, all parts of the machine beingplanned to produce the required results.

This machine comprises a wheel having the letters of the alphabet,numbers, and other marks and characters necessary for doing such workformed or arranged upon its periphery, together with means for holdingand controlling the card to be printed, ink-rollers, and other devices,all hereinafter fully de scribed, and more particularlypointed out inthe claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a general plan of the device withsome minor parts omitted; Fig. 2, a front elevation seen as indicated byarrow 2 in Fig. 1, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof the base-board and some other parts on the dotted lines S in Figs. 1and i, parts being broken away and other parts shown in two positions byfull and dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a side elevation seen as indicated byarrow A: in Fig. 1, a part of the type-belt being broken away and partsshown in two positions by full and dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a similarelevation, some of the parts being centrally vertically sectioned uponthe dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on thedotted line (3 6 in Fig. 2, showing more fully the pawl and ratchet-bar.Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the detent for the wheel, the bar forsupporting the inking-rollers being transversely sectioned on the dottedline 7 in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a plan of the detent seen as indicated byarrow in Fig. '7. Figs. 9 and 10 show portions of the type-belt for thewheel. Fig. 11 further shows the form of the rim of the wheel with apart of the type-belt in place thereon. Fig. 12 shows the releaser forthe slide, parts being shown in two positions by full and dotted lines.Fig. 13 further shows the releaser and associated parts, parts beingbroken away and omitted and other parts transversely sectioned, as onthe dotted line 13 13 in Fig. 12, the releaser being sectioned on thedotted line 13, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 shows a sample sign-card.

Referring to the parts shown, A is the baseboard of the device, holdinga horizontal iron printing-wheel B by means of a rigid standard C. D isa substantially vertical rocker held at the rear edge of the base-boardby simple hinges a, Fig. 4E, and adapted to sway or tilt through a shortdistance, as indicated by the positions shown by full and dotted lines.E is a horizontal hand-bar at the front of the machine connected withthe rocker by arms F, by means of which the operator may tilt the rockerat will.

The rocker comprises a basepiece f'hinged directly to the base-board,and a shiftable slide 3 held by the base-piece. The latter is formedwith a longitudinal channel g, Figs. 1 and l, in which a tongue h of theshiftable slide rests, by means of which the latter is permitted toslide longitudinally forward or backward to carry the card Z), Figs. 2,5 and 1i, to be printed along opposite the periphery of the wheel forthe purpose of having a line of matter printed upon it. lVhen the rockeris brought to a vertical position, by pressing the hand-bar the card isbrought against the face of the printing-wheel to receive an impression.

The shiftable slide is formed with a stout horizontal llllPlGSSlOll'bfll0, Figs. 3 and 5, epposite the face of the wheel, against which theimpressions are made. Two horizontal rubber rollers cl (1, having theirsurfaces in contact, are provided in the slide for controlling theelevation of the card I), said card being pinched between the rollers,as shown. These rollers are controlled by a hand-wheel 6-, Figs. 1 and5, to raise or lower the card at pleasure. A slender horizontal bar 2'at the upper side of the slide assists to hold the card steadily inplace and against the impression-bar.

The printing-wheel is turned by the operator one way or the other uponits bearing on the standard by means of a circular handrail G, Figs. 1and 4, to bring the required letter or character in position to give animpression. The hand-rail is secured rigidly to the wheel by means ofshort standards 0, Figs. 5 and 6.

The letters and characters 1.), which are upon the periphery of thewheel, are usually made of india-rubber formed in relief upon the sideof a single continuous rubber type-belt 70, Figs. 1, 5, 9 and 10. Thisbelt is of uniform width corresponding with the width of the face of thewheel, which face is cylindrical, and is secured to the latter by meansof an adhesive substance or otherwise, as may be convenient. Thistype-belt is usually formed with a complete alphabet of capital letterstogether with figures from O to 9 inclusive, in two sizes, and the signsfor dollars and cents and the punctuation-marks used in ordinaryprinting.

H are rollers for supplying ink to the type or letters. They are held inposition to roll upon the faces of the letters by pivotal supports Zheld by a rigid horizontal cross-bar I, Figs. 1 and 4, beneath the wheelupon the standard G. Slender springs m, connected with the supports Zand the cross-bar, tend to hold these inking-rollers gently against thefaces of the type.

A sheet-metal apron-guard K, Figs. 1 and 4, secured to the base-boardand extending up in front of the wheel and the forward inking-rollers,prevents the type and said inkingrollers from coming in contact with theclothing of the operator, who stands at L in front of the machine.

The upper surface of the wheel in view of the operator is provided withanother series of letters and characters, 5-, as shown in Fig. 1,usually cast upon the wheel, which correspond with the series of lettersand characters on the periphery of the wheel. Like letters andcharacters in the two series are adj acent to each other and in the samevertical plane passing through the axis of the wheel, on account ofwhich the operator may always know where a required peripheral letter isand so be able to bring it into position to be printed. A pointer 12,Figs. 1 and 4, secured to the upper end of the standard 0, serves topoint to the letter or character on the side of the wheel correspondingto the one that may at any time be in position to be printed upon thecardthat is to say, if the letter O, for example, be required in anycase, the wheel willbe turned to bring the letter O on the upper side ofthe wheel to the point of the pointer, when the type for thecorresponding letter on the periphery of the wheel will be in positionto give an impression upon the card.

The wheel is formed with a ring 0, Fig. 1, upon the under surface ofwhich is formed a downwardly projecting circular V shaped ridge 19,Figs. 5 and 7, crossed by notches r.

A pivotal detent sis held in position upon the bar I to act upwardagainst the ridge 1) and enter the notches therein as the wheel isturned. The detent is actuated by a simple spring 25, which keeps itnormally in engagement with the ridge. The detent is so placed that itenters anotch only when a peripheral character of the wheel is in exactposition to give an impression, and itserves to hold the wheel steadywhile an impression is made. hen the wheel is turned in either directionby the operator the detent is pressed downward on account of theinclination of the sides of the notches, and does not materially impedethe turning of the wheel.

a is a thin sheet-metal impression-guard interposed between the wheeland the rocker, secured to the base-piece f. It is formed with anopening r, Fig. 3, through which the type projects to give an impressionupon the card. This guard serves to cover the type on each side of theone giving the impression and prevents the card being smeared by saidadjacent type. The impression-guard is held in such a manner that itnormallystands clear of both the wheel and the impression-bar, as shownin Figs. 4 and 5.

The slide y of the rocker is adapted to move longitudinally in thebase-piece f for the purpose of printing a horizontal line upon thecard. The slide is moved automatically to print letters in succession bymeans of a toothed ratchet-bar '20, Figs. 2, and 6, rigid in the slide,and a pawl The pawl is worked by a bent lever z pivoted upon thebase-piece f. The upper long arm of the lever is connected with thepawl, and the lower short arm bears upon the base-board A through themedium of an adjusting-screw to. Now when the rocker is brought forward,as indicated by the dotted position in Fig. 4, by depressing thehand-bar, the lever and the pawl will be thrown to the positionsindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 on account of the bearing of thelever upon the baseboard. This causes the pawl to catch a new tooth inthe ratchetbar 10. A spring 1), connecting the lever and the base-board,tends to hold the former normally to the position shown in full lines inFig. 3, the spring being sufliciently strong to move the slide by meansof the lever and the pawl. This spring also serves to tilt the rocker toits normal position, (shown in full lines in Fig. 4,) this beingeffected also on account of the bearing of the lever upon thebase-board.

The length of the teeth of the ratchet-bar determines the spacing of theprinted letters on the card.

A detent 0'', Figs. 3 and 13, is provided for the slide 1 occupying acavity cl in the basepiece f. The lower edge of the slide is formed witha series of notches e spaced to correspond with the teeth of theratchet-bar '11 into which notches the detent 0 plays as the slide ismoved along by the pawl The pawl is provided with a horizontalprojecting pin f, and

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the detent with a similar projecting pin g, which pins are connected bya spiral spring 7/. The spring serves to hold the pawl and the detentnormally in contact with the ratchet-bar and the slide 1 respectively.

It will be observed that the connectingspring h does not hinder themovements of the pawl in shifting from tooth to tooth nor the detent inshifting from notch to notch, each of said pa-rtsthat is to say, thepawl and the detentbeing allowed to work independently althoughconnected, the yielding nature of the spring permitting theseindependent actions. When the slide is moved by the pawl at anytime, thedetent moves downward out of the notch in the slide on account of theinclined side of the notch; but the detent is held by the spring 71-sufficiently firmly in the notch to hold the slide steadily to placewhile an impression is being delivered upon the card, as abovedescribed. The actions of the pawl and the detent are alternativethat isto say, while the detent steadily occupies a notch the pawl moves to theright to engage a new tooth of the ratchet-bar, and as the pawl pushesthe slide to the left the detent glides out of the notch and enters thenext one w hen presented, which is at the moment the pawl ceases movingthe slide.

lVhen the slide has moved to its extreme position toward the left, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, or to the position in which theextreme right-hand letter of a line has been printed upon the card inany given case, it needs to be returned toward the right tobegina newline. To return the slide toward the rightthe pawl 50 and the detent ehave to be both thrown out of engagement with the parts of the slidewith which they act. This is accomplished by means of a releaser 2',Figs. 4, 12 and 13. This releaser is a horizontal bar held to movelongitudinally in bearings rigid with the base-piece f and is formed atits inner end with an expanded tapering head a, the inclined edges ofwhich bear against the pins f and g of the pawl and the detentrespectively. This releaser is formed with a handle or knob Z at theleft-hand end in convenient reach of the person operating the machine.Now by pushing the releaser toward the right against the pins to theposition indicated by dotted lines it will simultaneously lift the pawland depress the detent, as indicated by the dotted-line positions of thetwo parts, thus releasing the slide and allowing it to be shiftedlongitudinally by the hand of the operator at pleasure. A withdrawal ofthe releaser toward the left to its normal position allows the pawl andthe detent to be both again brought into action from the action of thespring it.

As constructed, the detent itself is a spring; but this is notnecessary, for if it be but a flexible bar or strip of metal the springh will cause it to properly perform its function. The periphery of theprinting-wheel is provided with a ridge or mark 7'', Figs. 1, 2 and 4,parallel with its axis to aid in accurately placing the rubber type-beltupon it. The end of the belt next the letter A is made square across orat right angles with the parallel sides, (see Fig. 9,) and in puttingthe belt upon the wheel this square end is placed truly against the mark"I", as appears in Fig. 4. The wheel is further formed with downwardperipheral projections m, Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 11, which also aid in.accurately placing the belt upon the wheel. The belt being elastic therewould be a tendency, in carrying it around the periphery of the wheel,to stretch it and so cause some of its letters or characters to be drawnto one side of the corresponding perin an ent letters and charactersupon the upper side of the wheel-that is to say, at one side of theradial planes passing through said permanent letters or characters. Theprojections m are made to register with the permanent letters andcharacters and so form guides for the letters on the belt, a letter orcharacter of the belt coming directly over a projection, as appears inFigs. 4 and 11.

The belt being secured upon the wheel, as stated, forms a rubber tire,as it were, for the wheel.

A stop to, Figs. 4 and 5, rigid with the rear edge of the base-board,serves to prevent the rocker from moving too far back on account of theaction of the spring I).

lVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a machine for printingsign-cards, the combination, with a base, of a standard, a horizontaltype-wheel journaled on the upper end of the standard and provided withcharactors on the periphery, a fixed pointer for indicating when anydesired character is in position for printing, a rocker-frame pivotallysecured to the base and adapted to move into engagement with theperiphery of the typewheel, a circular hand-rail above the top of thetype-wheel and secured thereto, whereby the wheel may be rotated uponits axis in either direction by grasping the hand-rail at any point, andmeans for operating the rockerframe, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for printing sign-cards, the combination, with a base,of a standard, a type-wheel pivotally secured to the standard andprovided with peripheral characters, a rocker-frame pivotally secured tothe base at one side of the wheel, and an apron in front of the wheel atthe opposite side, a circular hand-rail above the top of the wheel andsecured thereto, whereby the wheel may be rotated upon its axis ineither direction without interfering with the rocker-frame or the apron,and means for operating the frame, substantially as set forth.

3. The substantially cylindrical rotary printing-wheel of aprinting-machine, the periphery of which is provided with a ridge incombination with a tire or belt of flexible material as india-rubber,formed with letters and characters secured to the periphery of the wheelthe ends of which abut against the ridge, as and for the purposespecified.

l. The rotatory printing-wheel of a printing-machine, in combinationwith a tilting holder for the work, coacting' with the wheel, saidholder being provided with a ratchet-bar and having its under edgeprovided with a series of notches, spaced to correspond with the teethof the ratchet-bar, a pawl for the ratchet-bar and a detent for thenotches, each of which is provided with a pin, a spring connecting thepins upon one side, and a tapering head for inserting between the pinsupon the other side and adapted to release the pawl and detent from theteeth of the bar and from the notches.

o. The printing-wheel of a cardprinting machine, in combination with atilting holder for the work coacting' with the wheel said holderconsisting of a base-piece and a slide adapted to move longitudinallythereon, a detent for the slide held by the base-piece, a pawl to movethe slide, a spring-actuated lever held by the base-piece to actuate thepawl, a controlling-spring connecting the pawl and the detent, and meansfor throwing the pawl and the detent out of action, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day ofSeptember, 189%, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK XV. MAXSON,

Vitncsses:

ENOS B. \VHITMORE, M. L. WiNsToN.

